Dallas IJ Sims Booted from Juvie Immigration Court Docket

"A Dallas immigration judge known for tough enforcement is no longer handling cases involving minors. Michael Baird has replaced Deitrich Sims in overseeing the juvenile docket in North Texas. Local immigration attorneys said the change could reduce tension and add flexibility to cases involving children and teenagers. “We like Judge Baird, and we think he’ll be a suitable judge to hear these cases,” said William Holston Jr., the executive director of Human Rights Initiative, a Dallas-based nonprofit. “We think he’ll be good with the kids. These are little kids, 5- and 6-year-olds.” ... Dallas immigration attorney John Wheat Gibson praised the change in judges, saying he was among those who had filed complaints against Sims. “I have done it personally and know others. I’m sure [Sims] knows it.” Gibson added, “The judge didn’t act as a judge but as a prosecutor. The poor prosecutors just have to sit there and let the judge do all the work.” - Dianne Solis, Dallas Morning News, Feb. 23, 2014.